Passengers quarantined as a third cruise ship deals with a COVID situation
Make that three cruise ships that are dealing with a COVID crisis.
SeaDream Yacht Club late Tuesday said passengers and most crew on one of its two ships, the 112-passenger SeaDream I, had been placed in quarantine on board the vessel after a passenger from a previous voyage tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement sent to TPG, the line said only crew essential to operate the vessel, which is in the midst of a seven-night cruise along the Norwegian coast, were exempt from the quarantine.
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The ship is heading back to the port of Bodø, Norway, and the voyage is being canceled.
The SeaDream statement said the passenger who tested positive, who is Danish, had left the vessel on Sunday in Tromsø, Norway, at the end of the ship's last sailing.
The passenger received the positive test result Tuesday afternoon and will, according to the procedures in Denmark, be tested again on Sunday. For now, the passenger has no symptoms of the illness.
Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles
In a statement issued late Tuesday, the Norwegian Institute of Health said it was in discussions with the town of Bodø and a local hospital about "handling testing, quarantine and more" for the passengers and crew on board SeaDream I after it arrives.
All passengers and crew will undergo a 10-day quarantine, the institute said. It didn't say if passengers would be quarantined on or off the vessel.
"We sincerely hope that there is no COVID-19 on board, and we are not aware of any other guests or crew who are infected or have any symptoms, but we are taking all necessary precautions," the SeaDream statement said. "All guests and crew were informed, as well as the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and the Norwegian Directorate of Health as soon as we received the information this afternoon."
SeaDream is one of a handful of cruise lines around the world that have attempted to resume sailings in recent weeks after shutting down for months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The line operates two small, 112-passenger vessels.
The situation on SeaDream I is unfolding just four days after one of the first cruise ships in the world to resume operations experienced a significant coronavirus outbreak.
Norwegian expedition cruise company Hurtigruten's 535-passenger Roald Amundsen arrived in Tromsø, Norway, on Friday with four sick crew members who later tested positive for COVID-19. Another 32 crew members and at least nine passengers have since tested positive.
The four sick crew members have been hospitalized.
The Roald Amundsen had just finished its second sailing since resuming operations, a seven-night trip out of Tromsø to the Arctic's wildlife-filled Svalbard archipelago.
Over the weekend, a second vessel -- the French Polynesia-based Paul Gauguin -- experienced a COVID scare after a passenger on board tested positive.
Related: Did cruise lines try to return to service too soon?
The 332-passenger ship, operated by Tahiti-based Paul Gauguin Cruises, was just three days into its first sailing with international passengers since the line stopped departures four months ago.
After the COVID-19 case was discovered, the Paul Gauguin returned early to its home port of Papeete, Tahiti, and passengers on the vessel were confined to their cabins for several days while they underwent testing. The cruise was canceled.
SeaDream, Hurtigruten and Paul Gauguin Cruises have been at the forefront of efforts to bring back cruising around the world.
Hurtigruten in June became the first line to resume ocean cruises anywhere in the world when it began offering voyages to Norway out of Hamburg, Germany. It added cruises to Svalbard on the Roald Amundsen and the 335-passenger Spitsbergen in July.
Paul Gauguin Cruises was the first line to offer cruises in the South Pacific and also the first line in the world to welcome back Americans on trips.
Related: French Polynesia to be at the vanguard of cruising's return
SeaDream has offered some of the first cruises along the coast of Norway.
The three lines are relative outliers in the cruise industry when it comes to resuming service. Most major cruise brands, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises, have canceled all sailings well into the fall. Some lines such as Crystal Cruises don't plan to resume operations until January at the earliest.
SeaDream on Tuesday said it has begun contacting passengers who were on board last week's sailing to let them know of the passenger who tested positive.
Additional resources for cruisers during the coronavirus outbreak:
- When will cruising resume? A line-by-line guide
- Why you shouldn't expect bargain-basement cruise deals anytime soon
- How to cancel or postpone a cruise due to coronavirus
- Expecting a refund for a canceled cruise? Here's how long it will take
- Some of the year's hottest new ships could be delayed
- Stream these 13 movies, television shows to get your cruise ship fix
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.